Finding our ‘Green’ Sweet spot, Kylie our Facilitator kept reiterating when referring to the Venn Diagram that was placed on the wall. Venn diagrams are a way to visually work out our shared interest, using overlapping circles or other shapes to illustrate the logical relationships between 2 or more sets of items.

Over 3 professionally facilitated workshops in as many months, community members and stakeholders of the Fitzgerald Biosphere Community Collective (FBCC) came together to work out our commonalities to our group and more importantly, to home in on what truly matters to us and how we can effectively achieve nuanced local solutions whilst subscribing to the international UNESCO Man and Biosphere programme principles.

Biosphere reserves focus on balancing nature conservation with sustainable development for and with communities, each successive workshop providing a stage for us all to share our passion and varied interests in the Fitz. Finding our discussions were driven by a shared commitment to advocacy, accountability, a strong emphasis on cultural restoration and inclusivity – this reinforced that a key focus of our work is getting people to experience and know this community and Country – Noongar Boodja. We were pleased to have had Noongar voices from many families across the region support this process. Graeme Miniter, Chairperson of the Wirlomen Noongar language and Stories corporation shared his gratitude as he ‘had the fortune of travelling through this country with his Elders. Now it’s about getting the Noongar voice across.’

Our work is deeply rooted in the value of connectedness - people to the community and the value of our Biosphere listing. Kyran Brooks, FBG Treasurer and local agronomist in Jerramungup, shares that in future ‘I would like to say I’m from the Fitzy Biosphere when I go to the city.’

Cultivating stories that locals have ‘using their own words, in their own way, about why they like this place’, Leonie McMahon, FBG Bremer projects officer and landholder shares that it is just as important for the FBCC to listen to and receive learnings from community members, as it is for FBCC to educate others with data-driven stories outwardly.

We identified that the avenues for funding, while crucial, are secondary to the need for clarity and precision in defining our purpose. Guiding not only ourselves but also the broader community. ‘Your power is in your people’ Merningar woman Shandell Cummings added during workshop #1.

So in essence, ‘green spots’ or circles with overlapping arches that represent our values, be they economic, social, cultural or research based, allowed a group of committed locals to come together and have their voices heard around our Fitzy Biosphere ethos and has illuminated a path forward.

Thank you to all those who attended and contributed to the combined 680+ years’ experience in “Protecting and Connecting”!

Furthermore - a huge thank you to Kylie Cutten for facilitating this process, travelling to and from these locations and for always bringing our thoughts back into the ‘green spot’.